*** This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – scroll down to see who won!***
Perhaps you’ve heard of a little store called Ikea? And perhaps you’ll be interested in a $350 gift card from them for this week’s giveaway? Yeah we couldn’t believe it either when they emailed us. Hooray is right, Ikea catalog. Well said.
And not only are they generously offering up this week’s sweet prize, Ikea’s also presenting “The Life Improvement Project” where they’ll award one philanthropic individual $100,000 to take a one year sabbatical to help others (start a non-profit, volunteer for a year, etc). Plus they’re hosting free seminars in their stores about improving your life through your living space.
But back to how you can get your mitts on that $350 gift card:
- PRIZE: A $350 gift card to Ikea!
- TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “IKEA Me!” and…
- BONUS QUESTION: … tell us what you’d do if you could spend one year helping others. Would you open an after school program? Volunteer at a homeless shelter? Rescue animals?
- GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, October 27th at 8pm EST
- NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
- PRIZE SHIPS: The United States
- USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday as an update to this post. That’s right, come right back here Thursday morning for the announcement of our winner. Good luck…
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You guys are quite impressive with your nearly 11,000 entries. So impressive in fact that Ikea decided to change their plans and give away not just one, not just two, but THREE $350 gift cards. That’s over $1000 in gift cards! Thanks Ikea!
So let’s see who the lucky three winners are according to random.org:
- Alyssa Allen (who’s Life Improvement Project would include moving her fam somewhere in the world to help the poverty crisis)
- NEPD (who’d give her wedding florist services away free of charge)
- Jill (who’d give a year working with the Wildlife Conservation Society)
Note: We weren’t paid or perk’d for hosting this giveaway, we just take them on to reward our lovely readers! See our Giveaway FAQs page for more info. Pics from Ikea.
Scott says
IKEA ME! I’d take that year to go teach young and disadvantaged parents how to cook & prepare healthy, simple meals for their children so they don’t grow up with the challenges of obesity.
Beth says
IKEA me!! I would spend the year developing curriculum and teaching families budgeting, thrifting, and couponing tips to get more for their hard earned dollars.
Kristen Noonan says
IKEA ME!
If given the opportunity, I would volunteer with mentally disabled individuals.
Kristin says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to work for one year to help struggling women get back on their feet. Work on job skills, etc.
Amanda Scott says
IKEA ME!!
I would start a dog rescue. I would go to animal shelters and take the dogs off ‘death row’ (stop them from being euthanized) and try to get them adopted instead.
Laura says
Ikea me!
I would work at an orphanage in central america.
Candice! says
IKEA Me! You guys, I just moved from an apartment to a townhouse and this would be super awesome to win. Oh, and for my year of helping – I’d work with animals to get them adopted.
Lisa G says
IKEA ME! Since I am taking off the year from teaching to be with my son, I miss being with the kids and seeing them learn new things. I definitely would volunteer to tutor kids in math, especially kids who need the help and can’t afford it.
Debbie says
IKEA Me!!!
I would do missions work!
Amber Murphy says
IKEA Me!
I would love to help with Fund for the Arts to ensure that the Arts stay alive in all of our schools. Creativity needs to be fostered!!
Sarah says
IKEA Me!
I would spend time trying to bring fresh fruits and veggies into the “food deserts” in our cities…
brooke cox says
“IKEA Me!” I would probably spend my time helping urban education – – or helping animals that were mistreated at puppymills.
Micki says
IKEA ME! I have a huge spot in my heart for wanting to help elderly people.
ginnie says
IKEA Me!
I would continue to volunteer at animal shelters and be able to do more with my time than I already do. Right now all I have time for is on the weekends to walk the dogs. If I had more time to raise awareness and help with adoptions, there would be less homeless animals.
Jenn says
IKEA me!
I would love to start a literacy project that not only brings books to children(and adults), but brings authors into communities to share their success stories and passion for reading and writing. I work in publishing and am never more satisfied with my job than when I’ve helped bring an author event to a school or donated books to a community in need…
Jayme (The Random Blogette) says
IKEA Me!
I would volunteer at a domestic violence shelter. There are too many woman who do not have the correct resources to get out of abusive relationships. Many times they end up going back to their abusive spouse/significant other and they either end up killed or severely beaten. Also their children need to have a support system too. Many times if the woman is being abused the children are too.
Lisa C. says
IKEA me!!
Lacy says
Ikea Me!
I’m having our first baby TOMORROW! I would spend a year volunteering at the local pregnancy resource center. It’s a non-profit organization that helps teen moms and others through their pregnancies…
Lisa says
IKEA ME!!
I would help children with cancer fulfill a dream wish.
Laura J says
IKEA ME!!!
As a social worker, I work with people all day, everyday so I’d LOVE to spend my days rescuing animals.
Jennifer F says
IKEA ME!!!
If I could help others for a year, I would volunteer in a hospital to help cheer up cancer patients. My mother died of cancer and I regret not seeing her enough while in the hospital. Since I can’t changce the past, I would love to help others by making their day a little brighter somehow.
Emily Mullan says
IKEA ME!!!
If I had a year off and $100,000 to put toward a project, I would create and implement a summer camp/school program for students in our town’s urban school district.
sue says
IKEA ME! – A year working full time with Habitat for Humanity would be a dream come true!
Meghan says
IKEA me! I would teach a financial literacy program.
Jill says
IKEA ME!
I would spend the year dedicated to the no kill animal shelter in our city. My husband and I take in fosters, but we would be able to do so much more for those poor souls!
Shannon K. says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to spend a year working with the Make a Wish foundation.
Dan says
IKEA me!
Amanda says
IKEA ME
I would volunteer to be a mother’s helper for disadvantage new moms. I know how hard the post baby time is and I had support from friends and family. I only had to ask. But to help someone and they don’t have to feel obligated or guilty and they can focus on their recovery and loving their new baby.
Jenalee Latham says
IKEA Me!
If I had one year to help people I would go over to Haiti and help the people that were affected by the earthquake because there is still so much damage and loss.
Karen says
“IKEA Me!” -knowing my personality I would try to get involved with several different projects and organizations.
Jill says
IKEA me! (I feel a little guilty saying that because I won something fabulous here already)
I would DEFINITELY spend the year volunteering at a cancer center; in the chemo room. ABSOLUTELY 100% SURE OF IT. Passion. Heart’s desire.
Grace says
IKEA ME!!
I am a pre-k teacher for a state grant that focuses on low income children. I would love to have an after school program that is dedicated to parental education.
Elizabeth R. says
IKEA me!!!
I’d volunteer at Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
Meghan says
IKEA me! I would fundraise for Haiti.
Andrea Ludtke says
IKEA Me! Being a breast cancer survivor, I would work with newly diagnosed women and men providing support and understanding during their difficult time.
Erin Nusbaum says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer my graphic design talents for non-profit groups!
Anna B says
IKEA Me! I would take time to speak to and educate students from lower income homes on goals and future plans.
laura says
IKEA ME
I would teach families on WIC how to shop and cook healthy with their limited funds and about how diseases can be prevented just by basic nutrition. I would also love to work with low income families on managing their child’s type 1 diabetes.
Liz says
IKEA me!!!
I’d love to work with children.
Evelyn says
IKEA ME!!!
I would open mobile libraries in my home country.
Kristin says
IKEA ME!!!
I’m a dog lover. I have rescued two pups and would love to help out at a dog shelter. The only problem is I would want to bring all of them home with me!
kyle says
IKEA me!
Oh no, I just posted this and I don’t think it posted…if it comes up twice, sorry!
I have always wanted to open a homeless shelter/”soup” kitchen to help DC Metro area homeless. I would build it just outside of DC though to give them a change of environment. I would provide life-skills/job training for those who need it and for those who don’t (those who were already professionals before or those who have a marketable skill or training) I would help them to find jobs.
Missy says
Ikea me!
If I had a year to volunteer, I like the idea of doing a different volunteer project each week for a year. It would be fun to involve my kids and recruit people to volunteer with me to make an impact in a variety of areas. We could spend a week working on a habitat for humanity house, a week fixing up a playground, a week cleaning up a polluted area, a week planting flowers at a hospice house.
Candice @ Baby Beluga says
iKEA Me!!!
Definitely something to do with animals. I am currently looking at the Running Buddies program with the Richmond SPCA
sarah {handbagsnpigtails} says
Ikea Me!
I would spend the year helping out in our local nursing homeshere . We visit them as a ministry of our church and while its a very hard place to choose to visit b/c of what you see there, its so uplifting when we leave b/c we know we’ve “made the day” for the very lonely residents there. So many of them relate that no one visits them, their families are so far away,etc…
Our little girls, ages 5 & almost 7 sing to them with us, and my husband has taken his balloon artistry talents to share with them as well. One time our 6 year old even took her violin and played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for the residents there. They cry very easily at the fact that a young family, who doesnt know them, will take time to come visit them and LISTEN to them.They just love kids too!
Lisa C says
Ikea Me!
Orphans! I’d spend time helping orphans abroad raise money for school and college. Whether that was via selling art, negotiating jobs, buying livestock…
Christina says
IKEA ME!
I would somehow (don’t know the details, but dream about it often) offer a secure, loving environment for young moms (and dads, too) to receive training, education and support in order to be able to carry their unplanned pregnancy to term so they may parent the child or chose adoption. I have seen too many chose to abort b/c they felt they simply had no other option.
Hil says
IKEA me! I’d spend a year volunteering for World Wildlife Fund or Greenpeace.
Courtney says
IKEA ME! I would join up with Habitat for Humanity and build houses.
Betty Behrens says
Ikea Me! I would spend the year with an organization that helps low income DC residents learn to live better through healthy lifestyles. Bread for the City runs a free clinic and counsels their clients on healthy eating for diabetics, prenatal care, etc., and also gleans at local farms (harvests the leftover and not perfect for grocery stores crops) and feeds local families with that.